Most of September I was busy working as a conductor aboard the Alberni Pacific Railway in the Alberni Valley. Many trips were charters for cruise ships spending a day in Nanaimo harbour. Passengers from the ships are bused over the hump to Port Alberni where they catch the train out to McLean Mill.
I didn’t mention it in my September blog, but the Desperation Dixieland Jazz Band that I performed with for many years had a couple of windup concerts this summer. The band is now officially retired. I happen to have a couple of dozen CD’s of the band still in my possession. The CD was recorded June 13, 2004 at Scott Littlejohn’s Bastion City Recording in Nanaimo.
Featured is Bill Cave (trumpet), Claudio Fantinato (soprano and alto saxophones), Bob McNally (trombone), Jack Clark (drums), the late Danny Bell (Banjo), Tom Pagdin (piano), and myself on String Bass.
Anyone who wants one can have one for free. However, I’m not going to mail them out. I’ll carry them around in my car so if you see me out and about, just ask.
Photo: Train Crew awaiting passengers from the Nanaimo Cruise Ship Terminal.
Engineers/Firemen Rollie Hurst & John Land, and myself as conductor.
Three Photos above: The Desperation Band closed out their many years as a group well known for their interpretations of that happy foot-stomping style of jazz called Dixieland with concerts at the Qualicum Cheese Works and Campbell River’s Spirit Square this past summer.
Over time with various changes of personnel, the band played festivals throughout British Columbia and the US states of Washington and Montana.
The photos shown here were taken at Campbell River with Bill Cave (trumpet), Claudio Fantinato (clarinet/saxophone), Jeff Agopsowicz (trombone), Wayne Finucan (drums), Doug Gretsinger (Bass), and yours truly on piano.
Last week I had two rehearsals with the Nanaimo based group of musicians who back up the annual Yellowpoint Christmas Spectacular. Vancouver Island Symphony Orchestra violinist James Mark is the show’s musical director. Doubling as the production’s rehearsal pianist, on Monday I begin a marathon two-week period of daily sessions working with the Vancouver based professional cast of singers and dancers in preparation for opening night on Dec. 4th.
Quoting from the YPCS website: “The Yellowpoint Christmas Spectacular is a celebration of Christmas as well as an extravaganza of music and dance, lights and decorations, laughter and tears. Now in its’ 9th year, it is fast becoming a family Christmas tradition on central Vancouver Island. Be sure to include a performance as part of your Holiday festivities.
Included in this year’s singing and dancing extravaganza are hits by the Beach Boys, a Rock of Ages melody, Bobby Darrin songs, songs from Grease and Moulin Rouge, a Canadiana set as well as many more classical hits and Christmas favourites.”
Tickets for matinee and evening performances at the Cedar Community Hall (December 4th – 13th) and the Port Theatre in Nanaimo (December 18th, 19th & 20th) can be purchased by phoning 250-754-8550 or online at www.porttheatre.com. There will be two performances (Dec 8th & 9th) at the Sid Williams Theatre in Courtenay – Phone 250-338-2430 or go online to www.sidwilliamstheatre.com.
The photos above were taken at rehearsals for last year’s Yellowpoint Christmas Spectacular show. At the left, I’m setting up my piano on stage at the Cedar Hall. Drummer Michael Wright is trying to straighten out his bass drum pedal. On the right the production’s technical crew is checking the lights and the sound for the performances at Nanaimo’s Port Theatre.
Timbre! Choir
For almost a decade I’ve not been able to attend the Christmas choral concerts by the Timbre! Choir of Port Alberni that my wife Pat conducts. I’ve always been playing a performance with the Yellowpoint Christmas Spectacular at the same time. However, I do manage to take in Timbre!’s morning dress rehearsal before I have to zip south over the hump to do a Yellowpoint show performance.
The annual concert this year is called “Timbre!’s Christmas Card” and will be presented Sunday, December 13, at 2:30 pm at ADSS Theatre in Port Alberni. As Musical Director Pat will be conducting her final Christmas concert with Timbre! I’m sorry I won’t be there. However, I will be playing in her official retirement from Timbre! at the choir’s spring concert on April 24, 2016.
For “Timbre!’s Christmas Card” Pat has planned an exciting afternoon of music filled with joy and thankfulness – joy at the outstanding variety of the music that will be presented and thankfulness, for the wonderful audiences who have supported the choir for 43 years.
New material being presented includes a brand new arrangement of Jingle Bells. This will be a rhythmical, happy sleigh ride for everyone. Hey Ho! Nobody Home is a humorous Traditional British Carol featuring door to door carolers who solicit food and drink in exchange for their harmony – almost like a Trick or Treat in Christmas style. Timbre! and eight soloists are featured in this piece of “joyful pandemonium”. Recommended by one of the younger members, the Josh Groban tune “Thankful” written by David Foster is a beautiful message song about “taking time to enjoy the beauty that surrounds us”.
Also included are some past audience favorites such as White Christmas, Deck the Halls and John Rutter’s arrangement of Joy to the World.
Tickets always sell fast for Timbre! concerts so my advice is get yours pronto.
In Port Alberni they are available at Rollin Art Centre, Echo Centre, Salmonberry’s, Finishing Touches, Choir Members and at the door if available.
In Qualicum & Parksville tickets are available for the Port Alberni concert at Coastal Community Credit Union.
This month on November 29 Timbre! is appearing in a combined concert with the Village Voices Choir of Qualicum Beach at Knox United Church in Parksville at 2:30pm.
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